


A Breath Away

by youngho



Category: NCT (Band), SMRookies
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Drama, Dreams, Gen, Goals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-29
Updated: 2016-05-29
Packaged: 2018-07-15 05:30:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7209932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youngho/pseuds/youngho
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Youngho dreams and dreams... Even if his heart breaks, he will keep dreaming.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Breath Away

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [thekpop100](http://thekpop100.livejournal.com/)'s first challenge. Original can be found [here](http://thekpop100.livejournal.com/4319.html).

Youngho had a dream. He wanted to be a singer. He wanted to perform on a stage under bright lights, singing for a crowd who chanted his name. It sounded simple enough, but in life, nothing was ever simple. And he learned that the hard way.

After losing his chance to debut with EXO, with _his friends_ , Youngho realized the road to his dream was a bumpy road, filled with sticks and stones. But he didn't let it stop him from giving his all. He didn't let all the _he's getting too old_ and the _he's been here for so long_ whispers deter him. Instead, he made them his motivation.

If here were older than the rest or he'd been training the longest, it meant he had experience, had less to learn. Youngho got back up on his feet and worked himself even harder.

When news of SMRookies came out, Youngho breathed a deep sigh of relief. SMRookies was a relatively new concept, but one thing was clear. If you had your name under it, you were going to debut. Suddenly, the bumpy road made way for a smooth and clear pavement. But Youngho didn't stop working hard, didn't let the thought of his dreams coming true make him lazy. He knew that he didn't have much to offer in vocal talents or dance technique. He would need to make up for everything with hard work.

SMRookies proved to be the best thing that ever happened to Youngho. He made friends with all the boys and girls who were set debut, watched over the youngsters he'd considered his little brothers and sisters, joked around with the older people in the group. It felt like a family. Youngho felt like this was the group he was meant to debut with. Youngho had a dream and he was steadily getting closer to making it come true.

NCT was a brand, a brand that knocked Youngho's dream out of the ball park, leaving it to shatter and break on the cold hard floor. It was a concept of an infinite number of members and boyband units. The first to debut under the brand would be six boys under the unit name NCT U. Youngho's blood ran cold when he realized he wouldn't be part of it. His heart froze when he realized not everyone under SMRookies would debut at the same time.

And so, Youngho found himself working harder and harder to find his chance to shine under the bright lights. He could almost taste it. SM brought him so close, and yet the prize dangled in front of him, just an inch out of reach.

Youngho had a dream and he was still just a breath away from it.


End file.
